


A Luthor-Danvers Christmas

by mw4vt9



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 09:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28468866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mw4vt9/pseuds/mw4vt9
Summary: When Kara gets delayed in New York a few days in a snow storm, Alex has to entertain her sister’s best friend for a short time with all the Christmas activities her town has to offer.  What Alex doesn’t expect to get out of it is the start of a love that lasts a lifetime.*This is mirrored after Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movies in all of their cheesy glory.  Enjoy!
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 16
Kudos: 232





	A Luthor-Danvers Christmas

It’s the incessant buzzing that wakes Alex up, her phone nearly falling off the nightstand as she reaches for it. It’s dark outside, either very late at night or very early in the morning. When she answers, it’s barely an audible groan.

“Alex,” Kara says, voice frantic, “I am so sorry for waking you up.”

“It’s ok,” Alex gets out, becoming more alert at the panic in her sister’s voice.

“Flights out of New York are grounded. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to get home,” Kara gets out, and Alex has known her long enough to hear the quiver of her lip, can picture all too clearly her bright blue eyes filled with tears.

“It’s alright Kara. It’s Monday. Christmas isn’t until Friday,” Alex tells her, trying to use a reassuring voice to calm her sister down.

“I know, but what if this storm just keeps getting worse?” Kara asks, the panic slowing down just slightly.

“It isn’t supposed to,” Alex says, still trying to calm her sister down.

“I’m getting another call,” Kara tells her, “I’ll call you right back.”

Alex is almost back to sleep when the incessant vibrating starts again. She doesn’t even get to say hello this time before her sister frantically starts talking.

“Alex, Lena was able to fly out of Miami no problem. Her flight is going to be there at noon. Can you pick her up?”

It’s then that Alex’s sleep deprived brain catches up to exactly what is happening. Kara was coming home for Christmas from Monday to Saturday. She was bringing her friend that Alex had never met before who didn’t really have a family that she wanted to have Christmas with.

“What am I supposed to do with her until you get here?” Alex asks, now sitting up, looking around like something in her bedroom will give her the answer.

“Just do everything we were going to do,” Kara says. “I’ll update you as soon as I can.”

Alex doesn’t even get to ask her sister what she looks like before Kara is hanging up, leaving Alex sitting in a dark room, the clock on her phone telling her that it’s 5 AM. She resets her alarm, sets her phone to the side, and goes back to sleep.

__

When Alex gets to the airport that’s almost an hour from their hometown in Holly Grove, Maine; she doesn’t even know who to look for. Just when she’s about to call Kara, she hears footsteps approaching and turns to be met with red lipstick and green eyes shining on the prettiest face she has ever seen.

“Are you Alex?” The woman asks, already shivering even though they’re still in the airport.

“I am,” Alex responds. “Are you Lena?”

“Yes.”

They stand there for a second, both taking each other in before Alex remembers her manners. Lena’s wearing a black casual dress, very appropriate for December in Miami where she’d taken off from, not close to enough for Maine this time of year.

Alex shrugs her coat off, holding it out towards Lena. “You’re going to freeze to death in that,” Alex says. Lena regards the coat before she takes it, the chill coming in from outside likely the deciding factor.

The walk to Alex’s truck is silent, Lena’s arms wrapped tight around herself to try to ward off some of the cold that manages to get through even with Alex’s jacket. Alex takes the time to load Lena’s bags before she jumps in the truck, cranking the heat as soon as she can.

“I really hope you’ve got some warmer clothing to wear,” Alex says when the truck is finally warmed up a little, her ears starting to go from numb to tingling from the warm air.

“I do,” Lena says. “I meant to pack my coat in my carry on to put on when I got here, but I didn’t.”

Alex nods, the silence settling over them again.

“Thank you, Alex, for picking me up. Kara informed me of her travel misfortunes.”

“Yeah, it’ll just be me and you until she gets here, hopefully she won’t be long.”

It’s Lena’s turn to nod as Alex searches for radio stations, settling on the third one that is playing Christmas music. “I have to warn you,” Alex begins, “our town is kind of known for Christmas. We go all out.”

“Kara’s told me so much,” Lena says, a small smile on her face. “My families Christmas’s growing up were not very festive which is why I wanted to experience this place. She’s made it sound so magical.”

“It is,” Alex says, unable to stop quickly glancing sideways to look at Lena. She’s strikingly gorgeous. “So, tell me something about yourself. We’ve got at least another forty five minutes until we get there.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Not to get too personal,” Alex says, “but how do you know my sister? Excuse my quick judgement, but you two seem quite different.”

Lena laughs, a warm and genuine laugh. “I met Kara one morning in a coffee shop. I was studying when she knocked into my table trying to help someone carry their drinks. She insisted on getting me a new coffee and sat down while I drank it. After that she pretty much forced me to be her friend.”

“That sounds very much like my sister.”

“I’m in my first year of law school at Columbia. So, most of my life is spent on the computer, in class, or at my internship. Kara has been wonderful in making me leave my apartment for something that isn’t work or school related.”

“How many times has she threatened you?” Alex asks, earning a laugh from Lena.

“Pretty much every single time she insists that we go out for the evening she threatens to ‘come get me and make me.’ For someone so small, she is quite intimidating. She says she learned that from you.”

Alex laughs then. “Maybe learned it from me giving her a hard time as a kid.”

Lena laugh is light and carefree, making Alex smile genuinely, before the conversation drifts to silence, Jingle Bells playing softly in the background.

“What do you do Alex?” Lena asks to fill that silence, the two nowhere near close enough to be comfortable in it.

“I’m an ER Doctor, which is mostly what I do, but I do whatever the hospital needs me to do. Sometimes that’s appendectomies, and sometimes it’s stitches on a little girl’s knee.”

“That’s quite admirable,” Lena says, earning a small smile from Alex.

Lena’s stomach grumbles before Alex has a chance to response.

“There is a café right across the street from my place. We can take your bags in, let you change, and head over there.”

“That sounds great.”

__

“Wow,” Lena says the second they pull up outside Alex’s house. The front yard is full of light up Santas, snowmen, and reindeer; complete with a full Christmas train. “You do go all out,” Lena tells her as they walk up the two stairs to the porch. The porch has a full Christmas tree, light up wrapped presents, and even more snowmen.

“It’s like the law here,” Alex says, laughing. “You pretty much aren’t allowed to live on Main Street if you don’t go all out. Wait until you see it all lit up.”

Alex watches Lena take it all in once they’re inside and wonders if maybe it really is too much Holiday cheer. She’s got a fire place mantle with decorations, a book shelf full of decorations, Christmas themed pillows and blankets on the couch, and a train that has actual steam coming out of it that smells like Peppermint. No wonder she doesn’t have a girlfriend.

“Like I said,” Alex huffs out an embarrassed laugh, “they kind of will arrest you around here if you don’t have this stuff out.” Alex pauses. “And Kara loves it.”

“It’s beautiful,” Lena comments as she walks further into the home, moving into Alex’s dining room that contains her Christmas tree stand just waiting for a fresh tree, wrapped presents, and a table set with matching plates and reindeer figures. The kitchen isn’t much better – Holiday themed towels and cookie jars cover the space.

“The upstairs isn’t this bad,” Alex says as Lena follows her up.

“This house basically has two masters. The one on the left is mine and that one is yours,” she says as she points to the closed doorway across the hall. “The bathroom has fresh towels and there are hangers in the closet.”

“Where is Kara going to sleep?” Lena asks.

“She’ll bunk with me. The third bedroom is my office and gym,” Alex says before she nods to the door at the end of the hallway.

“I’ll give you some time to get settled. Just come down when you’re ready to grab lunch.”

Lena nods, taking her leave into Alex’s guest room.

Alex calls her sister when she gets downstairs.

“Any updates?” Alex asks.

“Wednesday,” Kara tells her. “I’ve got a flight for Wednesday. I tried for tomorrow, but they said it’s unlikely.”

“Ok,” Alex says with a sigh, both nervous about spending time with the woman upstairs and upset about the delay in seeing her sister.

“I’ll get there as soon as I can,” Kara tells her. “Take care of Lena.”

“I will,” Alex responds before she hangs up, hoping more than anything that Kara will get there in time for Christmas on Friday.

Lena comes back down a few minutes later, holding Alex’s coat she’d been wearing. She’s now wearing jeans, boots, two layers of sweaters, and a long red coat.

“Thank you for this,” Lena says.

“It’s no problem,” Alex tells her as she takes it, slipping it on herself for their short trip.

“Since it’s just across the street, we won’t need it, but we’ll have to pull out the gloves, scarves, and hats for nighttime stuff,” Alex tells her as she opens the door. She can tell Lena wants to ask about what she means, but she doesn’t, maybe wanting to be surprised, maybe not. Alex certainly doesn’t know her well enough to say.

It’s just a short walk to the café that’s cleared out from the lunch crowd by now.

“Hey there Doc,” a young man says from behind the counter. “Mam,” he says as he nods to Lena.

“Miles, this is Lena. Lena, this is Miles. His Dad owns this café. His grandpa before him owned it too. He makes some of the best coffee in the world.”

“Well, Miles,” Lena says, “I’d love some coffee. Anything you’d recommend for food?”

“A club sandwich,” Miles tells her. “It’ll be the best one you’ve ever had.”

“I’ll take one,” Lena says, smiling at the boy.

“I’ll have the same, coffee too,” Alex says, nodding to Miles as he hands the slip through the window to the kitchen. Lena is about to reach for her card when Alex hands the boy money, winking at him with a playful ‘keep the change.’

“Thank you Alex,” Lena says when they sit down. “For lunch and for agreeing to hang out with me until Kara gets here. I didn’t mean to be any trouble.”

“It’s really no trouble,” Alex responds, knowing she’d be doing very similar things they’re going to do over the next few days even if Lena wasn’t there.

Lena doesn’t miss that every person that comes in smiles or greets Alex. She can also see how they all cut their eyes at her, very polite in how they introduce themselves, but still questioning.

“Do you guys get a lot of new people around here?” Lena finally asks when Miles comes over with their coffee and food.

Alex laughs, blowing out a nervous chuckle. “A few years ago when I moved back here after Medical school, my girlfriend at the time moved with me. We had grand plans to open a clinic and work at the hospital. Let’s just say the people here are protective of their own so when she took off with just a note she left about us being too serious, they didn’t take that kindly to it. Now, when it comes to me, they’re all a little hesitant. I’d be happy to make sure they know you’re just Kara’s friend.”

“No,” Lena says, feeling a strong sympathy for Alex as she watches the sadness cross those brown eyes. “I was just curious.”

“Anyway,” Alex says before she takes a bite of her sandwich, pausing to chew, “Kara told me I had to follow her agenda so I’d like to tell you what is on it to see what you think.”

“I can only imagine,” Lena says. She knows the mutual affection for Kara shining in Alex’s eyes is mirrored in her own.

“Today I am going to take you to Christmas Town. It’s just down the street and,” Lena interrupts Alex.

“Don’t tell me what it is. I’d love to be surprised.”

Alex smiles at her then. Lena would never admit to feeling giddy with the anticipation of it, but she does feel it bubbling like what she imagine most kids feel on Christmas morning. She’d never really experienced anything like this. Christmas with the Luthor’s was all about getting dressed up nicely, sitting quietly, and dazzling her father’s guests that he wanted to continue to do business with. There was no playing in the snow or bright Christmas decorations, just decorations put up by the staff that were about as bright and festive as Lillian herself was. There weren’t presents from Santa on Christmas mornings, just gifts to unwrap that were meant for children of their stature. Lena had never even had a stocking before like so many children she knew.

When they’re done eating, it takes just a few seconds to grab their hats, scarves, and gloves from Alex’s house.

It’s just a short drive to Christmas Town, but Alex insists that Lena will be thankful they drove when the sun goes down.

Lena isn’t really sure what she expected, but she knows that she couldn’t even begin to create this in her mind if she tried when she sees it.

It’s an open area between two buildings, probably used as a small town gathering place when it isn’t Christmas, but today, it’s covered by a large tent, little heaters set out sporadically to help with the cold. There are booths selling hot chocolate, ornaments, wreaths, and almost every single Christmas craft you can imagine. The back has an open door that seems to have even more festivities past it.

Lena’s left in awe long enough to not even notice when Alex walks away and then rejoins her, holding out a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

When Lena holds it up to her mouth, she can smell something that doesn’t typically come in hot chocolate that you get at a community event. Her questioning look causes Alex to raise an eyebrow.

“A little Irish hot chocolate never hurt anyone,” Alex teases as Lena takes a sip, letting the hot beverage warm her.

They walk together, browsing each little shop, Lena seemingly looking at every single item. “I wish I didn’t have to fly home.” Lena says, “I’d buy all of this.”

“I can ship you anything you want,” Alex tells her, watching Lena’s eyes widen with excitement. “But first lets go look around inside. We can get whatever you want on the way back out.”

Lena actually gasps when they walk inside at the winter wonderland that could be right out of a movie.

There is a huge ice skating rink in the middle of the room, stands around it with people scattered about, and a set up to one side that has Santa Clause sitting there talking to children about what they want for Christmas.

“We’re taking a picture with Santa when Kara gets here,” Alex tells her. “But now, we’re ice skating.”

“Absolutely not,” Lena responds, tone firm, as she watches adults and children zoom around the rink, some much more capable than others, some falling down but still laughing like they’re having the time of their lives.

“We have to.” Alex tells her. “It’s already on the list. You don’t want to hurt Kara’s feelings do you?”

Lena looks at the rink, back at Alex, and at the rink again. “No, I’d never want to hurt Kara’s feelings. I can barely handle her puppy dog eyes, and you are putting them on strong right now.”

Alex takes a second to throw away their cups before she’s sitting with Lena on a bench, both lacing up ice skates.

“You have to promise that you’ll hold my hand,” Lena says. “I do not want a broken wrist for Christmas.”

“Don’t worry.” Alex says. “I won’t let you fall more than once.”

Lena’s incredulous look is enough to get Alex to backtrack.

Alex gives her a few pointers before Alex steps on the ice first, reaching out one hand to take Lena’s before Lena grabs the other one just as firmly. Alex has clearly done this many times, starting to skate backwards as she pulls Lena along. Lena doesn’t move her feet at all, just lets Alex slide them both across the ice.

When Alex starts to let one hand go, Lena lurches forward, quickly moves her body back to try to stop it, and overcorrects causing her to fall on her butt. Alex stops skating to help Lena up, trying as hard as she can not to laugh. “You ok?” Alex asks.

“You said you wouldn’t let go,” Lena whines.

“I said I wouldn’t let you fall more than once,” Alex challenges as she pulls Lena to her feet. If Lena thought she could do it without falling over, she’d hit Alex’s arm.

For most of the time on the ice, Alex holds both of Lena’s hands to lead her around. At the end though, Lena is comfortable enough to let go of one of Alex’s hands and slowly try to move her way around the rink. Alex lets go completely once before Lena panics and grabs the outside railing, both of them laughing the entire time.

Alex is out of her skates in no time, telling Lena she’s going to go grab more hot chocolate while Lena finishes taking hers off. She’s got one off when an older woman sits down beside her.

“I’m Mrs. Haskins,” she tells Lena. “You met my grandson Miles earlier today.”

“Ah, yes,” Lena says. “He’s very charming. I’m Lena.”

“We were all a little surprised to find out that Alex had someone visiting,” she says, prying in that way that people from small towns do to pretend like they aren’t prying.

“I’m actually Kara’s friend,” Lena says. “Kara was supposed to be here today too, but she got stuck in New York until Wednesday. Alex is basically stuck with me.”

“I see,” Mrs. Haskins says with mischief in her eyes. “Well, I don’t think Alex minds.” She’s off before Lena has a chance to respond.

Alex hands Lena the hot chocolate, another spiked version, and gestures towards the door. “Lets go get you loaded up with Christmas stuff.”

When they leave, Lena has a beautiful handmade wreath, a few ornaments, and a coffee mug as well as the well wishes from Mr. Watson, Samantha, Taylor, and a sweet little girl named Rose. Alex tucks a package she’d gotten without Lena into her jacket pocket later.

“Something for Kara,” she says as they get back into Alex’s truck.

Alex stops to pick up pizza on the way back to her place before insisting that Lena go put on pajamas. When Lena comes back downstairs, Alex has a fire going, a blanket for each of them sitting on the couch, and two glasses of what looks like bourbon.

“I’ve got wine if you’d rather,” Alex says.

“No, this is fine,” Lena tells her as she gets comfortable on the couch. “What are we watching?”

“Hallmark Christmas movies, of course. How else will we be sure that the small town baker ends up with the lawyer from the big city?”

“Who else will make sure he teachers her the meaning of Christmas?” Alex continues as the movie starts.

Lena can’t help but giggle at Alex’s commentary throughout the movie. 

“This is when he is going to see her hugging her ex and think she’s back with him. This is when someone makes a joke about a fake Christmas tree.”

Lena has to admit that it’s pretty hilarious. The amount and volume of Lena’s laughter is either changing because Alex is so funny or because she’s refilled her glass more times than she realizes.

The yawn that happens when the second movie ends is completely an accident, but it’s still enough of a cue to get Alex moving.

“I’m going to head upstairs to get some sleep. If you need anything at all, please let me know. Even if I’m asleep, if you need something,” Alex tells her as she folds their blankets, leaving them draped over the back of the couch.

“Thank you Alex,” Lena tells her. “Thank you for today.”

“It’s really no problem.”

When Alex gets in her room, she’s more than a little buzzed and struck by the realization that today didn’t completely suck like she thought it would. Lena was funny and interesting _and beautiful_ but that one was going to be ignored for now.

When she gets settled, her phone buzzes with a text from Kara.

_Lena said she had a great time with you today. Thank you Alex. You really are the best big sister._

That right there, even after all this time of being Kara’s big sister, made it all worth it.

__

“Sorry if I woke you up,” Alex says when Lena comes downstairs, already dressed for the day.

“You didn’t. I have a little bit of work I need to do,” Lena tells her, already moving towards Alex’s coffee pot.

“I’ve got to go to the hospital for rounds. I should be back in a few hours,” Alex responds. “Feel free to use my office for your work if you’d like. It’s just a touch of a mess though so fair warning.”

Because the rest of Alex’s house is spotless, Lena isn’t sure what she expects when she opens the door to her office. It’s a little short of absolute chaos, maybe slightly controlled chaos at best.

There are medical textbooks and journals everywhere, printed research articles and manuscripts pilled up. Alex’s degrees hang on the wall with pictures of Kara and Alex at various ages sitting on shelves that are full of even more papers. 

Badges hanging on a hook on the wall catch Lena’s eye. She thumbs through them when one jumps out at her. The Luthor Corp symbol on the top of it is obvious enough for Lena, it’s a visitor’s badge from her Father’s company. Dr. Alex Danvers is printed on the badge, no other information. It’s enough to make Lena curious. Alex hadn’t mentioned even knowing her last name. Lena had done her best to distance herself from the Luthor’s and the company so it was completely reasonable that Alex wouldn’t connect the two. It still made her wonder. 

The other side of the room is much cleaner to make room for the exercise bike and various weight lifting equipment piled in the corner.

Lena decides to get to work instead of continuing to snoop through Alex’s stuff, not wanting to still be working when Alex gets back. So, she clears off a small space on the desk without disturbing Alex’s stuff too much and gets to work.

It’s after lunch when Alex returns, an apologetic look on her face. “I’m so sorry. There was a surgery that came in while I was there that I needed to take care of.”

“It’s really ok,” Lena says. “I had a lot of work to get done so perfect timing.”

“I hope you’ve still got some energy,” Alex tells her. “We still have to do Kara’s activities for today.”

“What are those?”

“I’m going to drive us out to the Henshaw Farm to pick out a Christmas tree. Then, we’re going to the Town Hall for dinner with pretty much everyone who lives here. How does that sound?”

“Like something Kara is going to be devastated to miss,” Lena says.

Alex’s face falls. “Yeah, she will be.”

It’s quiet for a second before Alex seems to snap out of it.

“We’ll need to bundle up,” Alex says, putting a smile on her face as she reaches for her gloves.

Lena doesn’t miss the melancholy look on Alex’s face as she shrugs on her coat.

“On the way there,” Lena says, trying to cheer her up, “tell me about the people here that I’ll be eating with tonight.”

“You’ve got it,” Alex says.

Five minutes later they’re in Alex’s truck heading towards the Henshaw Farm.

“How much do you want to know?” Alex asks after she cranks the heat up.

“Whatever you want to tell me,” Lena responds, looking out the window as they pass more of Main Street that she hasn’t seen yet.

“Well, I’m assuming you know about our parents?” Alex asks, voice giving away the sadness that she is trying to hide.

“She told me that she was pretty young when you lost them,” Lena responds, looking back at Alex who watches the road, not wanting to push the conversation anywhere Alex doesn’t want to take it.

“I was fourteen. Kara was only eight. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that night. We lived right next to the Henshaw Farm. My parents had gone out for dinner, and I was babysitting. I don’t think I’ll forget the way the blue and white lights flashed off the window when the police came. All it took was a patch of ice to completely ruin mine and Kara’s life.”

“I’m so sorry,” Lena says, knowing that it’s not nearly enough but not knowing what else to say.

“After that we lived with Hank. He owns Henshaw Farm, and I’ll never, ever be able to thank him for everything he did for us,” Alex says, lost in the memories of it.

“He’s the one that Kara calls Papa,” Lena responds, now connecting the memory to what Alex is telling her.

“She does. Kara was so young. She needed a parent. It was all so,” Alex pauses. Lena doesn’t miss the tear that gathers at the corner of her eye.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Lena says, placing a reassuring hand on Alex’s thigh.

Alex doesn’t say anything for a minute, just looks at the road ahead. Finally, she puts on another smile. Lena’s sure she’s had to do that a lot in her life.

“Mrs. Haskins you’ve met. She’s Miles’s grandmother. Mr. Haskins passed a few years ago. She still runs the café with her son and Miles. They’re really good people. Sam and her husband, Taylor, moved here a few years ago with their little girl, Rose, who you met earlier too. They both work at the hospital. He’s an administrator, and she’s a physical therapist. I get dinner with them every so often and babysit Rose when they need it.”

“Everyone here really seems to love you,” Lena comments.

“Well, that’s only six people that live here,” Alex says, laughing lightly.

As Lena is about to respond she sees a sign for the Henshaw farm, the trees suddenly opening up to a huge field that stretches out for miles and miles.

“The Christmas Tree Farm is further back,” Alex answers Lena’s question without her having to ask.

They pass a large log cabin and finally stop half a mile past it, pulling over to where a large lot selling Christmas trees is set up. Lena sees people everywhere, walking amongst the big and small trees, children trying to help their families pick out the perfect one.

A tall, burly man comes walking towards the truck, a huge smile on his face. Alex sails out of the truck, barreling into him like she hasn’t seen him in months. He hugs her, tight, and Lena knows that this must be Hank Henshaw.

Lena gets out to join them, Hank’s infectious grin making her smile at him. “You must be Kara’s friend, Lena,” he says, arms opening immediately. Lena steps into the hug without thinking too much about it, letting him squeeze her tight.

“I am. It’s nice to meet you Mr. Henshaw,” Lena says.

“Call me Hank,” he says. “Now, game time.”

“Did you do it already?” Alex asks.

“I did,” he responds, smiling at her.

“We play this game every year. Hank tags the tree that he thinks we’ll like best. Kara and I go around looking at them and pick the one we like. For the last eight years he has been completely right.”

“Do you want him to be wrong?” Lena asks.

“Sure do,” Alex says, smiling at her.

“Well me being here to help you pick it sure does throw a wrench in his planning,” Lena says.

“Very good point,” Alex tells her. “Lets do it.”

Hank brings them hot chocolate to drink while they walk around, browsing the aisles and aisles of trees. Some are too tall, some too round, some too short, some too thin.

“Don’t you already have a tree on the front porch of your house?” Lena asks.

“I do, but there is a special set of ornaments waiting for this one,” Alex tells her as they continue to browse.

Alex stops in the aisle right in front of a roughly six foot tree that’s honestly the most beautiful tree that Lena has ever seen.

“This is the one,” Alex says.

“I agree,” comes out of Lena’s mouth just as Hank appears out of nowhere, laughing hysterically as he points out the tiny little yellow tag on the tree.

“And the old guy wins again,” he says, wrapping an arm around Alex to pull her close.

“I’m blaming this one on Lena,” Alex says.

“You’ve been blaming Kara for years. At some point, kid, you’re going to have to admit that Papa knows you better than anyone else.”

“I’m going to grab a cart,” Alex says, dodging Hank’s hand as he tries to ruffle her hair.

When she’s gone, Hank turns to Lena. “It seems like Kara’s friend might be turning into Alex’s friend a little bit.”

“She’s very sweet, especially with helping me have something to do until Kara gets here. I just feel like I don’t know her all that well.”

“Alex is a tough egg to crack, but I think if you give it time that will change.”

Alex is back before Lena can respond. Lena stands off to the side while Hank and Alex wrap the tree up, get it on the cart, and start pushing it towards Alex’s truck. They get it on top of the truck in no time, working like they’ve done this a million times before, which Lena is certain they likely have. It takes no time at all before they’re on their way back to Alex’s house.

“We’ll get this all set up and save the decorating it for tomorrow night when Kara gets here.”

The rest of the ride back to Alex’s is relatively silent, Lena’s mind wondering about all the things she wants to know about Alex. Kara hadn’t been particularly forth coming about much related to her sister, probably more out of respect for how guarded Alex is than anything more specific than that. When Alex doesn’t fill in the conversation, Lena just sits back to enjoy the scenery as it passes by, just thankful to not be spending another Christmas alone or forcing herself through another Luthor Christmas.

Alex barely lets her help get the tree inside before she gets it set up on a stand that Lena hadn’t even seen before.

“Now,” Alex says, looking up at Lena, “are you ready to meet the entire town?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Lena tells her, wondering exactly what she has gotten herself into, but still way more excited than she’d ever admit.

Alex disappears into the kitchen without another word. Lena can hear her clinking around glass before she returns, holding two shot glasses. “It’s a short walk, and I promise this will help.”

Lena takes it, throwing the shot back with Alex, letting the alcohol warm her stomach.

“Nervous?” Alex asks as they cross the street, walking past the café towards the town hall where the evening meal is.

“No,” Lena says. “When you’ve lived my life, putting on a smile for a large group of people isn’t a problem.”

“I have many questions about that,” Alex says, “but we’re here.” Alex points to a door that doesn’t look like it really leads anywhere.

Lena’s not sure what she’s expecting when they go inside, but it’s nothing like the galas and evenings she has spent with her family in her life.

There are decorated Christmas trees in every corner of the room, lights strung up across all the walls, and wrapped presents under the trees and on tables. A long table full of food sits on one end of the room. White tables and chairs are spread across the rest of the room with various groups of people eating and socializing.

It’s only seconds after they enter when little Rose slams into Alex’s legs. “Alex,” she squeals, holding tight to her, her feet stepping on Alex’s boots.

“Hey you,” Alex says, lifting the little girl up to ask her where her parents are.

Rose clings to Alex like she’s held her like this a million times. “They’re over there,” Rose squeals, pointing happily at her parents who turn at the sound of their daughter’s voice.

Lena watches as Sam and Taylor excuse themselves from their conversation to join Alex and Lena.

“Go,” Sam says to Alex when Lena sits down, “say hello to your admirers. We’ll take care of Lena.”

Alex looks at Lena like she’s asking for permission. When Lena nods, she’s off, immediately being pulled into a hug by an elderly woman Lena hasn’t met yet.

“They love her here,” Taylor says.

Lena is about to ask him something about Alex when another man walks over. “Hey Taylor, Sam,” he says nodding to them before he turns to Lena. “I’m David. I haven’t seen you before.”

“Oh,” Lena says, “I’m Lena. I’m Kara’s friend, here to spend Christmas with her and Alex.”

“So not Alex’s girlfriend?” He asks getting a smile on his face that makes Lena just a little bit uncomfortable.

She’s about to tell him she isn’t when Alex slides back up next to her. “Hey David,” Alex says, nodding at him quickly before she turns her attention back to Lena. “Lena, I’ve got people that are dying to meet you.”

Lena stands to follow Alex quickly, sending David a polite smile.

“If you want to go back and talk to him just say the word, but I thought you might need rescuing,” Alex says, mischievous smile on her face.

“I’m good with the rescuing,” Lena answers.

She’s swept up in the people that she meets then. There is Sarah and Michael with their two boys, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson who have at least twenty cats, Jeremy and Winn who moved to town a few months ago to start their own homestead, Mr. Richardson who has been the principal of the high school for as long as anyone can remember, Mrs. Haskins who has no problem continuing to gush over Alex, and so, so many more people from people who work at the hospital to teachers to the Mayor himself. It’s exhausting really, but charming more than anything.

When Lena admits to herself that she needs a second away she turns with the intention to go to the bathroom. When she’s halfway there a woman that she’d seen but hadn’t met tugs her elbow lightly, pulling Lena into a small side room.

“I’m so sorry to do this, but I’m Kelly. Alex’s best friend, James, is my brother, and I just need to know what’s going on with the two of you,” Kelly gets out quickly like she’s been bottling up the question for weeks, just waiting for the opportunity to ask.

“I’m Lena, and there really isn’t anything going on between us.”

Kelly’s face falls. “I’m sorry, I just….”

“I’m Kara’s friend. Kara was supposed to be here with me, but she got stuck in New York so Alex has been showing me around.”

“Oh, ok. That makes sense,” Kelly says, shaking her head lightly. “I’m sorry. We’ve just all been hoping someone would come around eventually for Alex and thought maybe that was you.”

“It’s really ok. I can absolutely see why you’d think that with it being the holidays and all.”

As if on cue, Alex and who Lena can only assume is James based on his resemblance to Kelly, come through the door.

“There you two are,” Alex says.

“Is it bonfire time?” Kelly asks, her face immediately lighting up.

Alex and James turn to each other, faces lit up like the Christmas decorations just past them. “It’s bonfire time,” they almost scream in unison.

“Come on,” Alex tells Lena, grabbing her hand to pull her along.

It doesn’t take long for them to head out of the back door to a clearing where a large bonfire is burning bright, the heat from it hitting them all immediately.

“Every year after the Christmas party the younger crowd hangs out back here and pretends we’re not drinking whiskey while Mrs. Haskins pretends she can’t smell it,” James says as he pulls a flask from his jacket to take a long sip. Alex takes her own out before she hands a second to Lena.

“You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging did you?” Alex teases before she’s immediately pulled over into another conversation. James is gone before Lena turns around.

“Busy bodies,” Kelly says with an affectionate laugh.

“So, Lena,” Kelly continues, pausing to take a long sip from her drink, “tell me about you.”

“I’m in law school in New York. That’s how I met Kara,” Lena says, trying to force the small talk even though it isn’t her favorite thing in the world.

“Single?” Kelly asks, the curiosity clear.

“Yes,” Lena answers. “I honestly just don’t have the time with school.”

“And if you did have a significant other,” Kelly asks, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “would that be a boy or a girl?”

“I don’t have a preference there,” Lena answers, happy with the look Kelly gives her, before they both start laughing.

Before Lena can say anything else, they both hear a loud laugh. Lena turns to see a blonde talking to Alex, clearly laughing at something she just said.

“That is Nicole Lord. Her father basically owns the town. She was Alex’s girlfriend in high school, and I still think would do about anything to get back with her,” Kelly tells Lena. She watches for a second to see how Alex is feeling about it. Alex is polite but steps back a little every time Nicole steps slightly forward.

“Alex doesn’t look interested,” Lena tells Kelly.

“I’m sure she isn’t,” Kelly answers. “It has been years since they were together.”

Before Lena can say anything else, Alex catches her eye, politely excusing herself to come over.

For Lena, it’s fun to stand around and chat with everyone, to enjoy an evening with people who don’t know anything about the Luthor name or Lex’s impending takeover of the company. It’s nice to stand around and drink, talking about favorite Christmas cookies and gifts, while the people around her are just interested in getting to know her, not trying to gain favor from knowing her or use her to climb the corporate ladder. It’s amazing to just let loose, get a little tipsy, and laugh with new found friends. It’s exactly the reason that Lena had agreed to come to Maine with Kara in the first place.

As the fire starts to die down, Lena finds herself sitting on a log next to Alex, the fire warm in front of her, the air cold on her back.

“I hope Kara not being here hasn’t completely ruined your Christmas,” Alex says.

“Not even close. You have no idea how much I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me these past two days.”

“Happy to do it,” Alex says, knocking back another sip from her flask.

“Can I ask you something?” Lena asks softly. Not wanting to pry but just tipsy enough to be willing to ask.

“Shoot.”

“Tell me about Maggie,” Lena says. She knows it’s risky, hoping Alex doesn’t throw her out, but she’s also endlessly curious.

“We met in college, and I fell in love like a ton of bricks falling to the bottom of the ocean. Like almost immediately. I can’t say it was love at first sight, but it was definitely interest. She got me through medical school in one piece. She was the first person I ever loved without question. I planned a life with her.”

“What happened?”

“I was caught up in the fairytale. Before we even moved back here things weren’t working, but I ignored it because Maggie and I together was just the way life was going to go. I planned it that way. When we fell in love, I was going to marry Maggie and everything would be perfect. Everything about that image started to fall apart when I got her a ring and never could seem to find the right moment to pull it out. When she told me she didn’t want kids, that was the final nail in the coffin. I never imaged my life without kids. She never wanted them. We couldn’t get past that. And one morning, she was gone with nothing but a note that she was sorry.”

Lena doesn’t respond, just waits for Alex to talk if she wants to.

“I’m sure that was more information than you wanted,” Alex finally says.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know,” Lena tells her, a moment passing between them as they both lock eyes for what is likely seconds but feels longer.

“It’s getting late,” Alex says, visibly shaking her head from the emotion of the story she just told. “Ready to head back?”

“Sure,” Lena answers, taking Alex’s hand as she helps her up.

The walk back to Alex’s isn’t long, but it’s quiet. Nothing but the sound of their feet on the sidewalk, some steps wet with half melted snow. Each breath they breathe out shows in the air, the cold seemingly setting in without the fire around them.

It’s a comfortable silence, something that feels like they’ve done it before, and Lena finds herself looking at Alex in a different light. Something more than just Kara’s sister. Something more than just the person she’d spent the last two days having the best Christmas ever with. Something more entirely.

She finds herself still thinking about it after she’s brushed her teeth, put on her pajamas, and gotten into bed. She thinks about Alex, sleeping right across the hall, in a bed that has probably been empty next to her for too long.

Lena has absolutely no idea what any of it means.

__

When Lena wakes up the next morning, she finds herself heading downstairs still in her pajamas, not even bothering to get ready for the day. Lillian would be mortified. Knowing that somehow makes the small act of rebellion even better.

She finds Alex in the kitchen, flipping through a newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee.

“When do we go get Kara?” Lena asks, startling Alex a bit.

“She wouldn’t tell me when her flight gets in. Said she wanted to surprise us,” Alex answers.

She stands to pour Lena her own cup of coffee, handing it to her without asking about cream and sugar, clearly noting that Lena had taken it black just two days before.

“After she gets here,” Lena asks, “what’s on the agenda?”

“Pictures with Santa, obviously,” Alex teases.

“Obviously.”

“Then, putting up ornaments. Tonight? The Annual Holly Grove Santa Pub Crawl.”

“Do you all call everything “annual” around here?” Lena asks, putting air quotes around the word annual.

“This one is very fun though. Before I get you too excited though, I should lower your expectations. It’ll be people that were at the bonfire last night, dressed in festive clothing, and drinking at the one bar we have here. So, not much of a crawl. More a get drunk around the same people you’ve always been around kind of thing.”

“Must be what Kara told me to bring Christmas themed clothes for,” Lena says.

“That’d be it.”

They spend the morning watching the news and drinking coffee, both comfortably settled on Alex’s couch.

Around noon, things happen very quickly. Lena hears a car door shut, then the tell tale sound of feet landing on the front porch. Alex springs up quickly and almost tumbles to the floor from getting tangled in the blanket. She gets to the door to pull it open at the same time that Kara starts to twist the doorknob.

Kara springs into Alex’s arms, bags forgotten on the porch, as the elder Danvers squeezes Kara tight. She holds her for a long time, both just relaxing into the embrace, until Alex finally puts her down. Kara doesn’t waste any time crossing the room to pull Lena into a much softer but just as sweet hug.

“Wait a minute,” Kara says, looking around. “Are the two of you, the two people who literally can’t stop working, sitting on the couch just watching TV and drinking coffee?”

There is no need for an answer. The blankets on the couch and empty mugs are answer enough.

“Upstairs, right now,” Kara says. “You two need showers, to get dressed, and to get ready for Christmas pictures and decorating.”

“Yes mam,” Alex says, actually saluting Kara.

“Is this nice Christmas outfit time or fun one?” Lena asks as Kara begins to usher them up the stairs, finally stopping to grab her bags to bring up with them.

“Fun one. Nice one is for tonight,” Kara tells her. It takes one final push from Lena’s best friend to get her in her room and headed to the shower. Before she closes the door, she can already hear the sisters arguing about who is going to get to sit in Santa’s lap. Lena knows it’ll be Kara.

_

When they’re all downstairs, Lena can’t help but laugh at them. Sure, she’s wearing a hideous green sweater with jeans, but Kara is wearing a red sweater that actually blinks lights with her own set of antlers attached to a headband on her head.

Alex is wearing a nice green sweater with jeans, festive but not even close to the level that Kara is.

It takes absolutely forever to get into the building to take a photo with Santa. Kara, like Alex, has to stop and talk to everyone in town, but unlike Alex, Kara takes her time, chatting with every single one of them, asking about their grandchildren or pets or how their tomato garden did this year. It’s enough detail to make Lena’s head spin. She’s lucky that Kelly and Sam are there to be a bit of a buffer. Like always, Kara’s energy is infectious, and she finds herself excited for the photo.

“Is that just hot chocolate?” Lena asks Alex as they move to wait in line for the photo.

“Unfortunately so,” Alex answers, but that doesn’t stop her from offering the cup to Lena. Lena takes a sip for the warmth before she hands the cup back to Alex. They both miss Kara watching them curiously from where she stands buying popcorn.

When it’s finally their turn, Lena insists that Alex and Kara take a photo without her. Lena’s heard Kara insist she do something before, but she finds herself feeling more included when Alex is the one that says she has to join them. Alex and Kara even stop arguing long enough to let Lena be the one that sits on Santa’s lap.

When they leave, it’s with three copies of the photo and three matching frames for them that Lena finds herself wanting to hold tight to her chest and cherish.

“Can you add this to the stuff you ship to me?” Lena asks Alex.

“Sure thing,” Alex tells her. Kara watches them curiously again, but she decides to shake it off.

They stop into the café for lunch, and Lena finds herself just sitting back, watching the sisters interact with the people in the town. She can only imagine the love the town that raised these two humans must have for them. The admiration is clear from each and every one of them, but she can’t help but notice the differences in them. Kara hugs everyone, pulling them in tight, and chatting away like they’re the most important person in the world. Alex will hug, but it’s quick, a bit more standoffish, probably a result of their ages at the time of the tragedy that look their parents.

Lena’s swept up in it, smiling more than she has in ages, as they talk animatedly over lunch until their stomachs are full and Lena’s face hurts from laughing. Their walk back to Alex’s house ends in a snowball fight between the sisters, Alex putting an end to it when she tackles Kara into the cold snow. Lena thinks it’s going to turn into a full brawl until she realizes they’re giggling like children, making snow angles in the snow.

“Get down here Lena,” Kara says.

“Not a chance. I don’t want snow wet jeans,” Lena responds, stepping away from the two of them.

“We’re going back to the house right now. You can change,” Kara whines.

“Not a chance,” Lena stands firm.

Then, there is a moment, what feels like no more than a second, between when Lena notices Alex standing up and when she finds herself deposited, very gently, onto her back on the snow next to Kara. Alex is standing over her, a sweet smile on her face.

“Now,” Alex tells her, “make snow angels with Kara.”

Lena can’t help but laugh but does as told, the snow freezing against her back, but it’s worth it for the giggle that she gets from her best friend. Alex takes a photo to seal the memory forever.

When they’re ready to get up, Alex leans over to give them both a hand. A wicked glance passes between Kara and Lena, only a raised eyebrow communicating the plan, before both Lena and Kara pull, bringing Alex down hard into the snow between the two of them.

It takes Alex a second to get her bearings before she’s shaking the snow from her hair and wiping it from her face, looking incredulously between the two of them.

“You should know,” Alex begins, turning to look at Lena, “I can one hundred percent take both of you if I wanted to.”

“Lena maybe, but not me,” Kara says, standing up to wipe the snow off herself.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Lena teases.

“Both,” Alex answers. They both completely miss the way Kara looks between the two of them trying to figure out what in the world is going on.

__

Lena waits patiently as Kara and Alex pull out a few boxes of ornaments to decorate the tree that Alex has already put lights and popcorn garland on.

“The key to decorating a beautiful tree,” Alex tells her, “is to pretend like the back of the tree doesn’t exist and just load the front and sides.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lena says as she sits back to watch the sisters work.

It’s quiet, almost too quiet compared to the usual noise the two of them make, but they’re both deeply concentrating on making sure the same color ornaments aren’t too close together, making sure that they balance large ornaments from small ones, and making sure that each area is covered.

Lena finds herself fascinated by it, watching them move around each other, the laughs when they pull out certain ornaments showing her a window into a memory that she’ll likely never even know the story of. It’s precious and makes her thankful that she gets to be here with the two of them during the holiday.

“Last one,” Alex says, pulling an ornament from it’s own box. “Lena, why don’t you put this one on?”

It’s a loaded question, Lena knows it from the tone of Alex’s voice, but she stands anyway. Alex hands her the ornament, the weight of it resting in Lena’s hands, as she looks it over. There are four snowmen, each delicately painted with a name with a small object in each of it’s gloved covered mittens. One says Jeremiah, holding a baseball bat. One says Eliza, holding a microscope. It’s a small glimpse into the parents that they lost. Alex’s is holding a football while Kara’s is holding a teddy bear.

“Mom got this for Dad our last Christmas together,” Alex says, pulling Lena out from admiring the ornament. “We always save it for a featured spot.”

“You two should put this one up,” Lena says.

“If our parents were here,” Kara says, “they’d want to be sure that we let our guest put the last ornament on the tree.”

“It’s true,” Alex confirms.

Lena looks between the two of them before she steps forward to put it in it’s prominent spot on the tree.

“It’s beautiful,” Lena says as she steps back to admire the tree itself.

A quiet moment passes, where she’d guess that Kara and Alex are lost in thought about Christmas with their parents.

“Well, I’m going to take a shower to get ready for tonight,” Kara says before she’s up the stairs, but Lena doesn’t miss the little tear at the corner of her best friend’s eye.

“She’s alright,” Alex says. “She just needs a minute.”

“And you?” Lena asks.

Alex shrugs. “Kara and I needed our parents for different reasons, but Kara needed them much, much more. It’ll always be harder on her.”

“I really am sorry,” Lena says.

“Thank you,” Alex responds, letting the quiet settle again.

When Alex does speak, her tone is cheery. “Now, time to get ready.”

“Is this the night that Kara told me to bring a nice outfit for?” Lena asks.

“It is. We get all dressed up just to go hang out at a dingy bar with pool tables, but it tends to be quiet worth it,” Alex tells her.

Lena follows her upstairs. Alex sends her a quick smile before she disappears into her own bedroom, leaving Lena to get ready by herself.

During her shower, she’s lost in thoughts about Kara and Alex, what they’ve been through, what they’d overcome to get to this place today. It makes her think of her own brother. Having someone close like Kara and Alex do would have made her childhood so much easier. Instead, Lex was another area that caused problems, providing no type of relief from their parents at all.

Kara was devastated by the loss of her parents, that much is certain. She’d told Lena as much, talking in memories of not having her Mom there to read her stories at night and not having her Dad there to teach her how to hit a baseball. She talks about things little kids do with their parents. Kara didn’t have them long enough to think about her parents at her high school graduation, making college trips, or anything in the future. She knows Alex did, probably misses her parents in a completely different way because of her age difference with Kara.

Lena shakes it off as she washes her hair, trying to ignore how she wants to know so much more about Alex now. She tries to ignore it while she gets ready, but it’s hard when she can hear the siblings laughing across the hall.

It’s impossible to ignore when she comes downstairs. She’d left her hair down for this, opted for a red dress that was modest in how much of her chest it showed but clung tight, complete with black heels. Her eyes land on Kara first whose wearing a very similarly styled green dress with heels, complete in true Kara fashion with a tiny Santa hat sitting next to her ponytail.

But Alex, Alex is the one that makes Lena do a double take. Sure, she’d noticed that Alex was attractive before, but now, it’s so obvious that it surprises Lena that she didn’t pay more attention before. Alex’s hair is freshly shaved on the sides and back, which tells her that the mysterious buzzing sound she heard while getting ready was definitely Kara cutting Alex’s hair. The top hangs loosely to the side, just neat enough to show that she’d taken her time with it, but just messy enough to make it seem like she didn’t care too much. Alex is wearing brown boots, navy pants, a white button up, a grey vest, and a blue tie with little Christmas trees on it. The vest and pants hug her perfectly.

“You look great,” Alex says, interrupting Lena’s staring.

“You clean up nicely as well,” Lena responds, eyes still raking over Alex.

“Shall we?” Kara asks, her enthusiasm for the evening showing.

Lena lets her head out in front of them, hanging back to make the walk with Alex. “This is always her favorite thing.”

“I never thought of Kara as the bar hoping fan,” Lena responds as they watch Kara in front of them.

“I think it’s because it’s the only Christmas tradition we have that started after our parents,” Alex admits.

“It doesn’t make her think of missing them,” Lena says, a new sadness settling over her heart for these two.

“Exactly.”

The walk is short, Kara already disappeared inside.

“I’m going to warn you,” Alex tells Lena at the door. “Most of the people here are parents. This is their one night out a year, and they don’t hold back on the booze if you know what I mean.”

Lena isn’t exactly sure what she expects, but what she sees certainly isn’t it. The bar fits the part of a small town bar. There are a few tables around, stools in front of a dark wooden bar with various liquor bottles sitting on shelves against the wall, and a tap of a few beers on top of the well worn bar. To their left is a game area with darts and two pool tables. To the right is a large wooden floor, likely a dance floor, with a small stage next to it.

It’s decorated for Christmas, much like the rest of the town, but the bright decorations clash quite a bit with the old bar.

Sam and Taylor are there already, crowding the bar with Sarah, Michael, Jeremy, Winn, Kelly, James, David, and Nicole as Kara bounces around to give hugs to each one of them. Lena sees the way Nicole’s eyes light up immediately when she spots Alex. She’s equally parts horrified when she realizes that David is also looking at her that way. Before either can make their way over, James and Kelly make a beeline for them.

“Danvers,” James says, bumping Alex’s shoulder, “not a single person has a chance with the ladies with you dressed like that.”

Alex laughs at him before the two start exchanging arm punches like children with entirely too much energy.

“He isn’t wrong,” Kelly says from her spot next to Lena.

“I know you want me to say something salacious to that, but I’m not going to,” Lena tells her, earning a laugh from the taller woman.

“Now,” James says before Kelly can respond, “we drink.”

It’s a full out riot for Lena to sit in the middle of all of them, watching Kara and Alex captivate the entire room as shot after shot and beer after beer go from the bartender’s hands to one of their mouths. As the drinks flow, David turns his attention on her.

“You look really good tonight,” David says, attempting to talk low so that the rest of the group doesn’t hear, but he’s too drunk to really do that. That doesn’t stop him from getting really close to Lena’s ear to say it, his hand already landing on her back.

“Thank you David,” Lena answers, trying to be polite but still moving away from him a little bit.

“How about one more drink and you sneak off with me?” He asks. She can tell by the leer in his voice that he thinks it’s sexy, that he’s certain it’s going to work to get her to go with him.

“I’m good to stay here,” Lena tells him, ignoring the hurt look on his face to step around to join Kelly and Kara’s conversation.

It’s then that Lena feels another hand on her back, higher up this time, and a mouth very close to her ear. This time though, it’s Alex, and it certainly isn’t unwelcome.

“You let me know if he’s bothering you,” Alex says, her whisper tickling Lena’s ear, her lips very, very close.

“I think you’ve got your hands full,” Lena says just as Nicole comes back from the bathroom, immediately wedging herself between Alex and Lena.

It doesn’t take Alex long to start talking to James, leaving Nicole to turn to Lena.

“You know, Alex and I just slept together about a month ago,” Nicole says. Lena knows she’s trying to get a reaction. Lena will admit, the information does surprise her. She’s very thankful when Kelly starts talking so that Lena doesn’t have to respond.

“We both know that isn’t true,” Kelly deadpans, laughing to take away any ill will from the statement.

“We would have if it wasn’t for your brother,” Nicole says.

“Someone talking about me?” James yells, getting the whole group laughing.

Lena is hyper aware of Alex from that moment on. She can feel her body heat when she’s close, hear every single word she says, and honestly thinks she actually feels her skin tingle when Alex touches her. It’s a little intoxicating and a lot confusing for her, but she’s going to chalk it up to the alcohol.

As people drink, the groups start to spread out. David goes home when Lena turns him down for a second time, followed by Sarah and Michael and Jeremy and Winn who all claim having to relieve the babysitter or get up early for work. Nicole leaves when Lena and Sam make a trip to the bathroom, leaving Taylor and Kara engaged in a heated dart game while Alex and James yell about someone cheating during their game of pool, Kelly playfully egging them on.

“Having fun?” Sam asks when Lena comes out of the bathroom, both standing in front of the mirror to wash their hands and check their makeup.

“Yes, I am, and I can swear to you that I’ve had entirely too much to drink,” Lena tells her, having to steady herself with a hand on the counter to touch up her lipstick.

“Get ready then because there is one more thing that has to happen tonight,” Sam tells her, turning towards the door.

“What is that?”

Sam doesn’t respond, but Lena follows closely behind her.

Their friends are huddled near the pool table when they make their way back to them. When Taylor spots Sam and Lena walking over, a huge grin spreads across his face.

“It’s Santa shooter time!” He yells, revealing shot glasses lined up on the corner of the pool table.

“What is in that?” Lena asks when she notices there are two for each of them, somewhere between curious and concerned for her stomach if she drinks it.

“Grenadine, coffee liqueur, white chocolate liqueur, whipped cream, and sprinkles.” Sam says, looking like a kid that is far too excited for this.

“Before the first one,” Taylor says, clearly taking the moment, “we have to each say the best thing that has happened to us this year.”

“Finally opening the Holly Grove Gazette,” James says before he downs his drink.

“My sweet new puppy,” Kelly says.

“You,” Taylor says, leaning in to give Sam a quick kiss.

“That is literally your answer every year,” James complains.

“Because it’s still true,” he says, earning a side eye from James and approval from the girls in the group.

“I’m thankful that our adoption process is going ahead now, and hopefully next year, we’ll have a sibling for Rose,” Sam says, taking her shot.

“My dream job at CatCo,” Kara says, making a face as she takes her shot.

“Lena?” Alex says, indicating that she wants her to go next.

“I’m really thankful to be here with you guys,” Lena says. She gets where Kara’s face came from when the sweetness of her drink settles in when she takes her shot.

“The best thing to happen to me this year has been this moment,” Alex says, earning an ‘aw’ from the group before she takes her drink.

“Now,” Taylor says as each of them grab their second shots, “one thing we hope for in the New Year.”

“People to buy newspapers again,” James says.

“Just like one cute guy or girl to move to this town that wants to date a wonderful person and her adorable new puppy,” Kelly teases.

“That Rose won’t absolutely hate having a sibling,” Sam tells them.

“A new car for that extra car seat,” Taylor says, laughing.

“Love,” Kara says, downing her shot as the seriousness settles slightly over them.

“Yeah,” Alex says, shaking her head, “love.”

“I’ll drink to love,” Lena says, clinking glasses with Alex before they take theirs.

By the time they’ve paid their bills and gotten their coats on, Lena is just about past being drunk and headed towards being very sleepy.

They say their goodbyes to James, Kelly, Sam, and Taylor as they head the opposite direction to their own homes.

Lena laughs as Kara runs around, her energy apparently boundless when she has been drinking, as she slides over patches of ice and somehow doesn’t fall on her backside. She doesn’t stop, instead scooping up a loose snowball to fling towards Alex which just gets her a warning glance from her sister.

Kara shoots upstairs the second they get in the door, insisting that she just wants to put her pajamas on.

“She only says that so that she doesn’t look like she can’t hang,” Alex tells Lena. “She’ll be asleep in five minutes.”

When they’re at the top of the stairs, Lena turns to Alex. “I had a great time tonight. Thank you.”

“Of course,” Alex responds. “It was our pleasure.”

They both stand there, seemingly searching for words to say, neither really sure what any of this means.

“Goodnight,” Alex says.

“Goodnight.”

When the door closes behind Lena, she can’t help but linger next to it, somewhere close to knowing what all of this means and wanting to pretend it isn’t there at all.

When Alex gets in bed, Kara rolls over, huffing out something that Alex doesn’t understand.

“Ok, drunkie. Get some sleep,” Alex tells her, watching the crease between Kara’s eyes.

What feels like a few minutes later, Alex thinks Kara has drifted off to sleep until she mumbles, “you like Lena.”

Alex almost disputes it, but she stops short of actually saying anything at all.

“Tis ok,” Kara huffs, “she likes you too.”

That isn’t a thought Alex even wants to start to entertain.

__

Lena’s surprised the next morning when she gets downstairs to Alex sitting on the couch, watching TV and drinking coffee.

“Where’s Kara?”

“Sleeping,” Alex says. “She’s significantly less of the party than she thinks she is.”

They’re both well past their second cup of coffee when Kara literally drags herself down the stairs, still wearing her pajamas, hair tossed everywhere, feet hitting hard on each steps as she grumbles the entire way down.

“Why do you let me do this?” Kara whines, plopping down on the couch between Alex and Lena.

“Because you love it,” Alex tells her, letting Kara take her coffee cup and start to drink from it.

“My tongue feels like sandpaper, and I think I’m dying,” Kara says, somehow flopping further back into the couch.

“Too bad, so sad,” Alex teases, giving Lena a glimpse of what they must have been like as children.

“You’re talking too loud,” Kara tells Alex, using her hands to cover her ears.

“It’d be a real shame then,” Alex says as she stands, “if someone started singing.”

Before Lena can figure out what is happening Alex is launching into her own version of Jingle Bell Rock that’s horribly sung and entirely too loud. It leaves Lena dying laughing as Kara stands up on the couch to launch herself at her sister.

Alex catches her mid air, letting Kara get in a few very light fake “punches” before she delicately sits her back on the couch. “You better get it together kid,” Alex tells her. “You’ve got more partying to do tonight.”

__

Kara seems like a completely different person by the time she’s had two meals, three cups of coffee, a power nap, and a shower. All of it leaves her bubbly as ever, wearing jeans and a Christmas sweater with a red nosed Rudolf on it.

Lena’s still uncertain about the Christmas sweater she’s wearing, but it makes Kara very happy that she’s wearing one so Lena keeps it on. Alex has to wear one too.

It all seems like just something Kara had insisted on until they arrive at The Henshaw Farm to a room full of people in their own forms of Christmas sweaters – from reindeer to Santa to Christmas ornaments and trees to sports team logos with lights that actually twinkle.

Lena finds herself being rushed around the room, seeing some people she’s met before, until she finds herself wrapped in a hug by Hank Henshaw who she’d only met briefly a few days before and quickly being introduced to his wife, Megan.

Lena finds herself hanging back at the entrance of the kitchen, watching Alex and Kara as they interact with the rest of the guests in the large Henshaw living room, complete with two Christmas trees decorated with more ornaments than they can handle and overflowing with presents.

It startles Lena when Megan speaks. “You should have seen them as children,” she says as she watches Alex playfully punch Hank’s arm.

“I can’t imagine what that time was like,” Lena says, thinking about the two of them as children, coming to live with the Henshaw’s after the worst day of their lives.

“Hard,” Megan admits, like it explains it all. To Lena, it really does. How else do you talk about that much hurt? How else do you discuss it when you should be thankful that they’re all at least on the other side of it.

Lena’s response is interrupted by Kara’s insistence that they start White Elephant, a game that has to be explained to Lena, and now makes the presents everywhere make complete sense.

A bottle of whiskey is a huge hit that gets stolen twice until it lands in David’s wanting hands. Everyone gets a good laugh at a pair of pink feathered handcuffs, but that doesn’t stop Mrs. Haskins from completely scandalizing them all (clearly on purpose) by stealing them from the man who had opened them.

It’s all very exciting, watching them all bicker back and forth, watching people pout when their gift is stolen or beg others to steal their gift so they can open another one instead. It’s loud and festive and one of the most wonderful evenings Lena has ever had in her entire life. The festivities wear on her a bit, feeling a little out of place, so she steps outside onto the porch, letting the chill of the evening settle over her as she looks out over the property.

She knows it’s Alex when she hears the door open as heavy boots walk across the porch to join her.

“I can’t believe you got the hot chocolate making kit,” Alex says when she leans on the railing next to Lena.

“You’re more than welcome to have it in exchange for that awesome wine opener you got,” Lena responds, plucking the item from Alex’s hand.

It’s quiet as Lena finds herself looking at Alex’s face. Her nose and cheeks are already a little red from the cold, a large smile on her face.

When Lena looks up, she notices the mistletoe hanging over them, delicately placed in the rafters of the porch, likely days ago.

When Alex’s eyes follow where Lena is looking, she laughs lightly.

“He always does this. Haven’t found myself under one before,” Alex says before she meets Lena’s eyes. “We definitely don’t have to kiss.”

“I don’t want that kind of bad karma,” Lena says.

Alex’s smile turns just a little nervous, tongue poking out to run over her lips.

Lena’s not sure who starts to lean in first, but she does know that before their lips touch, she hears the porch door slide open.

“You two get in here, Hank is doing a toast,” Kara says, leaving the two of them to spring apart, both pretending like nothing at all had been going on.

“Rain check?” Lena asks.

“Absolutely.”

__

Christmas Day with Alex and Kara is what Lena imagines Christmas Day should be like. They sleep in and have Christmas tree shaped pancakes with sprinkles in them for brunch with hearty glasses of spiked hot chocolate.

They lay around, sipping their drinks and watching Christmas movies, barely moving from the couch to eat a dinner of leftover pizza, until it’s 7:00 PM on the dot. Apparently that’s time to exchange Christmas presents in the Danvers household.

“You have to open mine first,” Kara insists as she hands both Lena and Alex wrapped boxes. “Alex let Lena go first,” she says as Alex starts to peal the corner off one of the pieces of wrapping paper.

Lena takes her time to open her present, enjoying the moment instead of ripping it apart. When she gets it open completely, inside is a grey hoodie that says The Henshaw Christmas Tree Farm with various trees on it. Lena can feel the tears in her eyes immediately.

“Hank only lets a few people have those,” Kara says.

Lena’s not sure if she wants to keep holding tight to the hoodie or wants to pull Kara into a huge hug. She ends up getting a little bit of both as Kara springs forward, wrapping Lena and the hoodie into her arms.

When Lena opens her eyes, still holding Kara tight, she meets Alex’s gaze, a smile mirrored on her face.

Kara’s gift to Alex has them all laughing. It’s the newest season of the reboot of The L Word on DVD, two brand new flannel shirts, and a pack of Calvin Klein underwear.

“This feels very stereotypical,” Alex says as she pulls her sister into a hug.

Lena gives the two sister’s small packages, both things she’s purchased at the Christmas Fair they’d gone to on Lena’s first day there.

Kara’s is a typewriter ornament with the year in cursive on it.

“Is this a Royal Quiet Deluxe?” Kara asks, eyes snapping between Lena and the ornament and back again.

“It is. The real thing is waiting for you at your apartment.”

“You’re kidding,” Kara squeals. “You have got to be kidding.”

“I’m not,” Lena says, shaking her head as Kara flys across the room, ending up half in Lena’s lap and half in Alex’s.

“This is by far the best gift I’ve ever gotten,” Kara says, hugging Lena tight.

“Hey,” Alex says, sticking out her tongue at her sister who does it right back.

When Kara calms down and lets Alex open her own gift, it’s an motorcycle ornament.

“I’m really hoping you didn’t get me a motorcycle,” Alex says.

“No, I didn’t, but I did see yours in the garage. I got you a leather jacket that I think you’re really going to like,” Lena says.

“I told her the size,” Kara says. “Guess what it says on the breast plate?”

“Dr. Danvers,” Lena says, sending Alex an evil grin.

Alex has a startled look on her face before she moves over to hug Lena, telling her thank you for the gift.

“Mine certainly aren’t a type writer and leather jacket, but it’s something,” Alex says as she hands Lena and Kara a package.

Alex gives Kara a gift card to her favorite sushi place in New York as well as a booklet that contains about ten IOU tickets for Alex to come visit Kara in New York, as long as she doesn’t have to work, of course.

“Whenever I ask you to?” Kara asks, tears in her eyes.

“Whenever you ask me to,” Alex says, pulling her sister into another tight hug.

Maybe it’s the emotion of the last few days or the love radiating around the room, but Lena has a knot in her stomach as she starts to unwrap her own gift, taking her time with this one as well.

She gasps when she pulls it out of the package. It’s a stocking, exactly like the one that Alex and Kara have hanging on the mantle with their names sown on it. Lena’s name is stitched across her own stocking.

She’s unaware of the tears in her eyes until one falls down her cheek.

“I’ve never had a stocking before,” Lena admits, through her tears.

“Now you do,” Alex says, smiling softly.

When their eyes meet, Lena isn’t sure what to make of this brilliant human being that she hadn’t even known five days ago but is now absolutely certain that she’s in love with. She faintly hears Kara say something before she’s standing, grabbing a present from under the tree, and literally heading out the front door.

Lena stands, eyes locked on Alex, still holding the stocking that probably cost ten dollars but will forever be Lena’s most cherished possession.

“Let’s hang it,” Alex says, reaching her hand out to take it so that Alex can hang it up next to hers and Kara’s.

When it’s there and Alex turns, Lena makes the move this time, she’s certain of it. She crashes into Alex, her hands moving to the back of Alex’s neck as Alex’s grip lands firmly at Lena’s hips.

“Are you sure?” Alex asks.

At Lena’s nod, Alex leans in, lips coming together in a firm kiss that leaves Lena completely breathless.

When Alex pulls away, they’re both smiling.

“Where did Kara go?” Lena asks, her fingers still trailing through Alex’s hair.

“To Hank’s. She’ll probably be gone for a while.”

“Good,” Lena says, leaning back in to kiss Alex. Alex tugs them backwards until Alex’s legs hit the couch.

Lena lets Alex break the kiss so that she can sit down before she straddles Alex’s lap, pulling her back into another strong kiss.

Alex deepens the kiss, tongue running over Lena’s lips until they part, Alex’s tongue meeting Lena’s in a slow kiss that she feels like they’ve done a thousand times now. 

Lena’s completely lost in the way Alex’s mouth feels against her own, the way Alex’s strong hands grip at her hips and run up her back, each soft sigh that leaves Alex’s lips to fall on her own.

There is something, somewhere in the back of Lena’s mind telling her that maybe she should slow this down, that maybe Alex’s fingers sliding under her shirt to glide along bare skin is something that she should pause just slightly. Alex herself seems to think the same thing as she moves her hands back over Lena’s shirt, still kissing her just as fervently.

When Lena pulls away, they’re both breathing hard, Alex’s forehead resting against hers. All it takes is a little giggle from Lena before they’re both laughing hard, clinging to each other.

“I can’t say I expected this,” Alex says, interlocking her fingers behind Lena’s back.

Lena’s hands come to rest on Alex’s cheeks, holding her face lightly.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all,” Alex says before she stands, lifting Lena up with her. It’s instinctual the way Lena’s legs wrap around Alex’s waist, hands moving to her shoulders.

“That’s impressive,” Lena says.

“I say we go upstairs, snuggle, and watch some Christmas movies,” Alex says as she starts towards the stairs, taking them slowly because she’s still holding Lena. “And maybe make out a little bit,” Alex says before they get to her bedroom door.

“Just a little,” Lena says, smiling back at Alex.

She falls asleep that night with her head on Alex’s shoulder, the soft sound of Silent Night playing as the credits of the Hallmark move they’d been watching roll. She’s barely conscious when she feels a kiss pressed to her forehead.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better this Christmas,” Alex whispers before she pulls Lena tight into her, arms wrapping protectively around her.

It’s the most peaceful Lena has ever felt.

__

When Lena wakes up the next morning, Alex is already awake, her hands running up and down Lena’s back slowly.

“Hi,” Lena whispers, voice hoarse with sleep.

“Hey,” Alex responds softly, leaning in to place a delicate kiss to Lena’s lips. “I’ve heard Kara walk by the door at least four times. I know she wants to come in, but she’s afraid.”

“We have clothes on Kara,” Lena yells. Seconds later, the door swings open.

“Listen, I make it a habit not to see my sister or my best friend naked. I never thought I’d be faced with that potentially happening at the same time.

“Clothes stayed on,” Alex tells Kara. Kara still looks disgusted anyway.

“I hate to do this,” Kara says, “but we’ve got to get to the airport.”

It’s melancholy and sad as they all go different ways to get ready, Lena showering and packing in the guest room, while Kara does it in Alex’s room.

The car ride to the airport is even quiet, Kara trying to fill in the gaps with little response from Alex.

When they get to security, Kara wraps Alex in a tight hug.

“I love you,” Alex says, squeezing Kara tight. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you too,” Kara says, turning on her heels to head to the security line, a tear already forming in her eye.

Lena steps forward, letting Alex’s hands move to her hips and pull her close.

“Look,” Alex starts, “I don’t know where this goes for us, but I want to try. I can come to New York. You can come here. Whatever it takes. I just want you to know that I didn’t kiss you last night with the plan that it would be the last one.”

Lena leans in to kiss Alex, more chaste and delicate than she wants to, sneaking one final peck before she starts to pull away.

“This was the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Lena tells Alex.

“Just wait until next year,” Alex says.

Lena can’t help but look over her shoulder at Alex standing there waving to them when she gets to Kara in the security line.

“You think you’ll want to come back next Christmas?” Kara asks.

“Next year and every single one after that.”


End file.
